1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a turbocharger system including not only a turbocharger, but also a compact mounting pedestal arranged with utilities needed to operate and position the turbocharger within the space between opposing cylinder banks of an engine.
2. Related Art
Turbocharging has been used for a number of years with internal combustion engines. Although early turbochargers were often cooled primarily by air, as well as by the flow of oil through the turbocharger's bearings, later model turbochargers, especially larger turbochargers and those installed in heavy duty engines, generally utilize coolant circulating from the engine's cooling system through the turbo, and then back to the engine's main cooling system. Of course, turbochargers also require an oil supply and drain utilities to lubricate the bearings associated with the turbocharger. Needless to say, the provision of a source of coolant and a source of oil, with both being under pressure, as well as draining the oil and coolant from the turbocharger and returning these fluids separately to the engine, has necessitated a good deal of external plumbing. Unfortunately, external fluid connections and associated pipes and hoses cause problems because hoses and fittings are known to leak and are subject to damage which may be accelerated by the high temperatures prevailing within engine compartments. Moreover, aside from durability issues, the need for external plumbing for turbochargers increases the space required by the turbocharger in an already crowded underhood environment.
Turbochargers mounted on engines typically consume a good deal of space for another reason. Because known mounting arrangements are not susceptible to locating the turbocharger close to the engine block, turbochargers must be spaced away from the engine to permit the insertion and removal of the turbochargers' fasteners. Moreover, known turbocharger mounting systems increase radiated noise because of a lack of rigidity and because of the dimensional problems associated with their usage. U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,799 discloses a turbocharger mounting system which is bulky and therefore packageable only at the ends of an engine, and which makes liberal use of external fluid lines prone to damage and leaking.
It would be desirable to provide a turbocharger, including a mounting system which reduces the amount of space occupied by the turbocharger, while reducing the turbocharger's noise signature.